History of St. Joseph's Parish, Central Falls, RI

History of St. Joseph's Parish, Central Falls, RI. 1906-1981 Diamond Jubilee St. Joseph's Church, Central Falls, RI., p. 14-22. CAP at Orchard Lake.

At the close of the 19th century, when the textile industry in New England began to prosper, immi- grants from Poland were attracted to Central Falls, Pawtucket, Valley Falls and other communities of the state of Rhode Island. The first Polish people to come to Central Falls settled in the vicinity of High Street. Since no church was available for their use, they found it necessary to attend services on Sundays and Holy Days in neighboring churches. Some traveled as far as St. Adalbert's Church in Providence to fulfill their spiritual obligations. Occasionally, the people would be visited by Fr. Adalbert Duczmal from Providence, who attended to their spiritual needs. The number of Poles grew rapidly. On November 11, 1900, the Polish people organized the "St. Joseph's Fraternal Aid Society." From this Society came the suggestion that a parish be organized. With this in mind a special committee was selected, headed by Szczepan Pokraka. The Most Rev- erend Matthew Harkins, Bishop of Providence, accepted the petition of the Society and agreed to assist them in organizing a parish. A census was taken, as requested by Bishop Harkins, and showed that there were 200 Polish families in the Blackstone Valley. The organization of the new parish was entrusted to the Reverend Francis Kluger. Father Kluger was born on April 22, 1880, in Siemianowice, Gorny Slask, Poland. He received his elementary education in the local schools. He studied Philosophy in Italy and Theology at the Ame- rican College of Louvain, Belgium. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 28, 1905. In August of that year he arrived in Providence and was assigned by Bishop Harkins to organize a parish in the Quidnick section of Coventry. He served in Quidnick for only 15 months. In that time he organized Our Lady of Czenstochowa Parish. He was then assigned to Central Falls to organize a parish there. St. Joseph's Parish of Central Falls became a legal corporation on December 6, 1906. The first two trustees were John Rzepiela and John Bozek. There was no rectory and no church. For two years Father Kluger lived at 60 Cross Street. The difficult task of organizing the parish began. The Polish people frequently assembled for their services in the hall of Sacred Heart Church, Pawtucket. In March, 1907, Father Kluger purchased a wooden building on High Street known as Temperance Hall. The cost of purchasing and renovating the building amounted to approximately $10,000. St. Joseph, the patron of the Fraternal Aid Society, became the patron saint of the church and parish. A school was opened in the basement of the church. Three teachers staffed the school: the pastor, Father Kluger; Mr. Krawczyk, the organist; and an unidentified elderly woman. In 1909, Father

1 Kluger purchased a beautiful building at 353 High Street to be used as a rectory. Later, this building became part of the parish school. The parish grew rapidly and the church became too small to accommodate all its worshipers. In 1915, Bishop Harkins gave permission to purchase land on Clay Street and to build a new church at an estimated cost of $45,000. However, a boiler explosion caused a fire after midnight on Easter Monday, 1916, which completely destroyed the existing wooden church. It was, therefore, decided to build a new church on the site of the old church. Meanwhile, services were conducted in the hall of St. Basil's Church, Central Falls. The new building project proceeded quite rapidly and all services were taking place in the hall of the new church by the following Easter. The new Gothic church was large and beautiful, with a unique and very impressive facade. The main altar, still found in the church today, was purchased from Holy Trinity Church, Central Falls. The gracious steeple, built by Father Malecki, and admired by many, was destroyed during the 1954 hurricane. During all this time Father Kluger was alone. In 1916, he was assisted for several months by the Reverend Peter Switala. In November, 1917, Father Kluger was transferred back to the first parish he organized, Our Lady of Czenstochowa, Quidnick. The second pastor of St. Joseph's Parish was the Reverend Lawrence A. Malecki. Born July 14, 1882, in Franklin, Pennsylvania, he received his early education in LaSalle, Illinois. He attended college and studied Philosophy at St. Mary's College, Orchard Lake, Michigan, and Theology at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Orchard Lake, both of which were located in the city of Detroit at that time. He was ordained a priest in 1910 and served in Fall River, Massachusetts, and Quidnick, Rhode Island, until he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph's Parish. At that time the parish debt amounted to a sizeable $56,000. However, the times were prosperous and Father Malecki, through his amiable disposition, priestly life and charity, gained the confidence and cooperation of all his parishioners, and successfully completed the construction of the present brick church. Bishop William A. Hickey, coadjutor of the diocese, solemnly blessed the church on July 6, 1919, in the presence of the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Peter Blessing, the Vicar General of the diocese, and a large representation of the clergy from Central Falls and vicinity. The program began with a procession of church and civic organizations down High Street to Main Street, Pawtucket, where Bishop Hickey was met, greeted and led to the church. That same day Bishop Hickey administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 450 children. In his eloquent sermon Bishop Hickey encouraged the faithful to acquaint themselves with the Ameri- can language, customs and institutions, while simultaneously preserving their beautiful national traditions, customs and language. Four Bernardine Sisters from Reading, Pennsylvania, arrived in the fall of 1918 to conduct the parish school, which, at that time, was located in the church hall. The Bernardine Sisters staffed the school until June, 1971, when it was closed because of the low enrollment, shortage of Sisters and the ever increasing cost of lay teachers' salaries and of maintaining the school. For three years the Sisters resided in a rented house near the church. On April 29, 1920, Father Malecki purchased a house

2 at 393 High Street and converted it into a convent. In 1921, house at 355 High Street was bought, because the new rectory and the former rectory were converted into a school. In the fall of 1921, new wing, with four classrooms, was added to the building at a cost of $27,000. In February, 1925, the interior of the church was painted and decorated with beautiful paintings which to this day are admired by many visitors. Chandeliers were imported by Father Malecki and donated to the parish by the Holy Rosary Society. The parish observed its Silver Jubilee in 1931. Because of Father Malecki's zealous and untiring ef- forts, the parish was spiritually and materially sound. It had a beautiful church, a comfortable and spacious school, a convent and a rectory. Father Malecki was assisted in his pastoral duties by the following priests: the Reverends Vin- cent Kapturkiewicz, Bronislaus S. Rosiak, Francis J. Wilk, Walter J. Rozpad, Joseph Glodzik, John J. Szymczyk, John T. Borek, A. C. Jastroch, Leonard Kaszynski, J. J. Rolbiecki, Conrad Tyzynski and A. M. Wojcieszczuk. Father Malecki, who enjoyed good health, began to fail rapidly shortly before his death on July 4, 1934, at the age of 52, in the 24th year of his priesthood. He was buried in St. Leon's Cemetery in Pound, Wisconsin. The Reverend Peter Switala was appointed to succeed him. Father Peter Switala was born on August 2, 1883, in Jaskolki, Poznan, Poland. He received his early education in Jaskolki and his high school education in a German high school in Ostrowo, Poland. He studied Philosophy at Petit Seminaire, St. Trond, and Theology at the American College of Louvain, Belgium. He was ordained to the priesthood on July 8, 1908. Immediately after ordination he came to the United States and served in St. Casimir's Parish, Warren; St. Joseph's Parish, Central Falls; and St. Stanislaus Parish, Woonsocket. In 1920, he was appointed pastor of St. Adalbert's Parish, Providence, where he remained until he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph's Parish, Central Falls. Father Switala planned to build a parish auditorium and make necessary renovations to the parish buildings. However, difficult economic conditions prevented Father Switala from fulfilling his plans, and the great depression curbed the material progress of the parish for many years. In 1937, parish organizations such as Scouting and the CYO were introduced. In 1938 an organ, valued at $15,000, was purchased and installed. While he was pastor, Father Switala was assisted by the Reverends Peter P. Dobek, Stanley Kowalski, Basil Szeliga, and Michael W. Dziob, as well as by the Franciscan Fathers, Minor Conventuals. Father Switala died of a heart attack on May 12, 1944, and was buried in St. Francis Cemetery, Pawtucket. The fourth pastor appointed to St. Joseph's Parish was the Reverend Peter P. Dobek. Born in Wilm- ington, Delaware, July 4, 1906, the year St. Joseph's Parish was established, he attended St. Hed- wig's Parochial School and the Salesian High School in that city. He attended college and studied Philosophy at St. Mary's College, Orchard Lake, Michigan, and Theology at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Orchard Lake, for two years and at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland for two years. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 21, 1932, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by His Eminence Dennis Cardinal Dougherty.

3 He served as an assistant in St. Philomena's Parish, Narragansett, for six months; St. Joseph's Parish, Pawtucket, for three months and St. Adalbert's Parish, Providence, for one and one-half years. He was assigned to St. Joseph's Parish, Central Falls, in October, 1934, where he served as an assistant for ten years, until the death of Father Switala, whom he succeeded as pastor. As the new pastor Father Dobek was confronted with many tasks. The parish buildings were in need of repairs and improvements. The parish had a debt of $14,000. Preparations were being made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the parish. Because of the able administration of Father Dobek, the generosity of the good people of the parish, and the prosperous economic conditions throughout the country, the improvements were made and the parish debt was paid off within a year. In 1946 the 40th anniversary of the parish took place. The Anniversary Mass was celebrated by Father Dobek in the presence of Bishop Francis P. Keough and numerous priests. The sermon was preached by Father John Dziok, a former parishioner. Following the Mass a banquet was held at Coats' Recreation Hall in Central Falls attended by 800 people. After the church was renovated, repairs and improvements to the church hall, school, convent and rectory were begun. The church hall was painted, a new boiler installed and new chairs, tables and kitchen equipment were purchased. The ten classroom school was painted on the inside and outside, new desks and chairs were purchased and new lighting installed. The convent was painted, new furniture was purchased and a new boiler was installed. The cost of these im¬provements amounted to $21,000 and were paid for without incurring a debt. In the meantime the parish property expanded. On June 24, 1946, a house was purchased on High and Clay Street. In 1948, a beautiful memorial was dedicated in honor of all the young men of the parish who sacrificed their lives in defense of our country during World War II. In 1949, a house was also pur¬chased and transformed into a kindergarten with two spacious rooms. In 1955, a great renovation project got under way in preparation for the observance of the Golden Jubilee of the parish. In the spring of 1956, a new approach to the church was designed and completed at a cost of $14,000. During the summer months a new roof was put on the church and the exterior was pointed and painted. In 1957 the complete renovation of the interior of the church began. Two new confessionals, a new lighting system, new sacristy cabinets and new doors to the church were installed; the stained glass windows, the vestibule and the choir were renovated; and the organ repaired. The interior of the church was painted by Roman Przybylski of Gloucester, Massachusetts, at a cost of $19,000 while the total cost of the Golden Jubilee Renovation Project amounted to $80,000. Because of the tragic fire at Our Lady of the Angels School, Chicago, Illinois, on December 1, 1958, in which 90 children and 3 teaching nuns lost their lives, $18,900 was spent to make the necessary repairs to insure greater protection against fire and to minimize the possibility of a similar tragedy occurring in St. Joseph's School. On September, 1961, the parish purchased the McKenna property located between the convent and the school for $12,500. Architect Michael Traficante was hired to draw up plans for a new brick convent to accommodate 11 nuns. The firm of Frank W. Johnson was chosen to construct

4 the convent at a cost of $176,262. Work was begun in October, 1961 and completed in October, 1962. The convent was formally dedicated on Sunday, October 28, by Fr. Dobek, because Bishop Russell J. McVinney was in Rome attending Vatican Council II. In 1963, the tenement house on the corner of Clay and High Street was razed and the area was graded and blacktopped for a school yard and parking lot. The original stained glass windows behind the altar and in the priests' sacristy were destroyed when a house behind the church caught fire. The present stained glass windows were installed at a cost of $11,000. Fortunately, this cost was covered by insurance. That year plastic storm windows were installed over all the stained glass windows to protect them and to prevent the window frames from rotting. The rectory was also covered with aluminum siding. In June, 1971, the parish school ended its 52 years of existence when it was officially closed because of the extremely low enrollment, the shortage of religious sisters and the high cost of salaries for lay teachers. After the sisters left the parish, the rectory was transferred to the convent. After preliminary meetings held in December, 1971 and early January, 1972, the first Parish Council was formed with the election of officers on January 24, 1972. After having served the people of St. Joseph's Parish for 38 of his 40 years of priesthood, 10 years as an assistant and 28 years as pastor, Fr. Dobek, because of failing health, resigned his pastorate in January, 1972. He retired to Florida where he died of a heart attack on July 25, 1975, at the age of 69. He was buried in Our Lady of Providence Seminary Cemetery, Warwick, Rhode Island. During his 28 years as pastor of St. Joseph's Parish, Fr. Dobek was assisted by the following 31 priests: Fathers Walter Klos, Eugene S. Konopka, Peter J. Narewski, Frederick V. Slota, Matthew J. Strumski, Casimir D. Andruszkiewicz, Thomas L. Keenan, Donal R. Kehew, Henry Robitaille, Charles P. Quinn, William O'Connell; the following members of the Society of Christ, Jozef Furman, Konrad Urbanowski, Joseph Smyczyk, Arkadius Boryczka, Mieczysław Niewiadomski, Wojciech Baryski, Francis Szczykutowicz; and the following Franciscan Fathers (O.F.M.), Thaddeus Popek, Januarius Padlo, Ambrose Pocek, Roger Idzikowski, Josaphat Ledwon, Marcel Kołakowski, Richard Plucińs- ki, Martin Kropidlowski, Stephen Działdowski, Patrick Szemla, Edgar Śmigiel, Gerard Kotula and Fabian Czajkowski. The fifth and present pastor of St. Joseph's Parish is the Rev. Anthony D. Iwuc. Born in South Attleboro, Massachusetts on February 25, 1928, Fr. Iwuc was baptized, received his first Holy Communion and Confirmation in St. Joseph's. He graduated from St. Joseph's Parochial School in 1942, from St. Raphael Academy in 1945, and from Our Lady of Providence Seminary, Warwick Neck, in 1947. He studied Philo-sophy at St. Mary's College and Theology at SS. Cyril and Metho- dius Seminary, both at Orchard Lake, Michigan. He completed his deacon year at Our Lady of Providence Seminary and was ordained on May 30, 1953 by the late Bishop Russell J. McVinney. Fr. Iwuc served as an assistant in Our Lady of Czenstochowa Parish, Coventry, for 1 year, as an Administrator Pro-Tern for 15 years and as a pastor for 2 years. When he became pastor of St. Joseph's Parish on March 4, 1972, there was a debt of $37,500 on the present rectory. Within the next 9 months the debt was liquidated and the Burning of the Mortgage" took place during the traditional parish Christmas Supper on January 7, 1973. 5 On Sunday, April 29, 1973, St. Joseph's Parish hosted a state-wide observance, commemorating the 500th anniversary of the birth of the world renowned astronomer, Mikołaj Kopernik. On January 18, 1974, the parish purchased the Central Falls Congregational Church for $25,000. On Sunday, May 5, 1974, the parish hosted a state-wide observance, sponsored by the R.I. Division of the Polish American Congress, of the feast of Our Lady, Queen of Poland, and the anniversary of the adoption of the Polish Constitution of the 3rd of May, and has hosted this observance on the first Sunday of May ever since. In 1975 the church roof was resigned at a cost of $9,000. The Central Falls Congregational Church was converted into a Parish Social Center at a cost of $75,000 and was dedicated by Bishop Louis E. Gelineau during the traditional Parish Easter Supper, the Święconka, on Sunday April 25, 1976, the Bicentennial Year of the United States of America. On August 14 of that same year a new two-manual Moeller organ was purchased for $45,000 and was blessed by the Most Reverends Louis E. Gelineau, Bishop of Providence, and Mikolaj Sasinowski, Bishop of Lomza, Poland. The former school building was falling into disrepair because of non-use and was extensively damaged by a boiler explosion in 1977. On August 21, 1978, it and the antiquated garages were razed at a cost of $5,500, to provide a badly needed parking area. In 1979, a three-stall garage was constructed adjoining the rectory at a cost of $30,000, and the parking area was graded and paved at a cost of $21,000. In the spring of 1980, roofs of the Social Center and the CCD Center were resigned at a cost of $22,000. In November, 1980, aluminum siding was put on the Social Center at a cost of $35,000. On August 14, 1981, the firm of Faella Associates was hired to provide engineering services for a new heating system for the church which was later installed by the Carl F. Brugge Company at a cost of $61,000. On March 18, 1982, Phase I of a three-phase church remodeling project was begun at a cost of $160,500. During his ten years as pastor Fr. Iwuc was assisted by the following members of the Society of Christ: Wojciech Baryski, Francis Szczykutowicz, Jozef Furman, Stanislaw Drzal, Stanislaw Herba and Czeslaw Domaszewicz. Father Kenneth J. Suibielski also served in the parish from May 19, 1977 until June 20, 1980, when he was appointed administrator of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Woonsocket. The parish Diamond Jubilee Year extended from December 6, 1981 through December 5, 1982 and coincided with the 600th anniversary of Our Lady of Czestochowa at Jasna Qora, Poland. In order to prepare for this historic year, a Nostalgia Day was held on October 25, 1981 in the Social Center during which photographs, souvenirs, banners, uniforms, programs, trophies and other memorabilia were displayed and movies and slides shown, depicting the 75-year history of the parish. There were no speeches, no formal program. The parishioners came together to reminisce, to recall the "good old days" — the school years, baseball and basketball teams, bands, minstrels, plays, picnics, parades, processions, etc. While in Rome participating in the dedication of the Pope Paul II Pilgrims' Center, Fr. Iwuc ob- tained from the Holy Father, on November 11, a ceramic bas relief of Our Lady of Czestochowa in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of our parish and the 600th anniversary of Our Lady of Czestochowa at Jasna Gora, Poland. 6 Although the parish was incorporated on December 6, 1906, it was decided to inaugurate the Di- amond Jubilee Year on November 22, the Solemnity of Christ the King. A concelebrated Pontifical Mass was offered at 3 P.M. The main concelebrant was the Most Rev. Louis E. Gelineau, Bishop of Providence, who preached the English homily. The Most Rev. Alfred L. Abramowicz, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, concelebrated and preached the Polish homily. The two bishops were joined by 14 other priests in the concelebration. Also participating in the Mass were 30 religious sisters most of whom either came from the parish or taught in the parish school. The Diamond Jubilee Banquet at the Venus de Milo, Swansea, Massachusetts, was attended by 680 parishioners and guests. The main speaker was Bishop Abramowicz. Felicitations were extended by Sister M. Laetitia, C.S.B. of Villanova, PA, Superior General of the Bernardine Sisters, Richard B. Bessette, Mayor of Central Falls, and Francis R. Stetkiewicz, Mayor of Cumberland. The day after the Jubilee Mass and Banquet the practice of "Perpetual Adoration" was begun in the parish. The Blessed Sacrament was exposed for adoration in the rectory chapel from right after the 8 A.M. Mass until midnight every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On Sunday, December 6, the ceramic painting of Our Lady of Częstochowa, blessed and given by the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, began its 24-hour visits to the homes of the parishioners to which it had been invited. Beginning with the feast of St. John Kanty, December 23, the feast days of Polish Saints were observed with a special Liturgy, followed by a social hour. A Diamond Jubilee Color Pictorial Parish Directory was published and distributed on April 22, 1982. The Directory contained color photographs of all those families who had their pictures taken and an alphabetical listing — names (including children), ad-dress and telephone number — of every family registered in the parish. An icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa, which was painted in Poland, touched to the miraculous painting at Jasna Gora, and later blessed by Pope John Paul II, was solemnly welcomed to the parish on Wednesday, May 19. Msgr. Zdzisław Peszkowski of the Orchard Lake Schools, well-known professor, author, lecturer, commentator of the Polish Radio Mass, world traveler, a personal friend of Pope John Paul II and the late Cardinal Wyszynski, and devotee of Mary, conducted special devotions in honor of Mary for a whole week. Bishop Szczepan Wesoly of Rome, Delegate of the Primate of Poland for the Pastoral Care of Emi- grants, enhanced the celebration of the Jubilee Year by offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Wednesday, June 9, and meeting with the parishioners during a reception held in his honor in the Social Center. Father Iwuc led a Diamond Jubilee Marian Pilgrimage to three of the world's most famous Mari- an Shrines: Fatima, Portugal; Lourdes, France; and Czestochowa, Poland, from August 2 through August 17. On August 29, Bishop Stanislaus Brzana of Ogdensburg, New York, visited the parish to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and preach the Polish homily, before going to LaSalette Shrine, Attleboro, Massachusetts, to preside at the 2nd annual Polish Day Observance. After Mass Bishop Brzana blessed the 40 hardy pilgrims who walked the 8.2 miles from the parish to LaSalette, carrying the ceramic figure of Our Lady of Czestochowa which was presented to the parish by Pope John Paul II. 7 The Diamond Jubilee Year Celebration was brought to a solemn conclusion on December 5, with a concelebrated Mass at which the main concelebrant and homilist was the Most Reverend Daniel P. Reilly, Bishop of Norwich, Connecticut. Eight other priests joined Bishop Reilly in concelebrating the Mass. Following the Mass a banquet was held in the Social Center attended by 350 people. The main speaker at the banquet was Bishop Reilly, while Fr. Iwuc reviewed the major activities of the Diamond Jubilee Year.